In my last post on six serious ideas for 2013 , I discussed the concept of “strategic legitimacy,” which is about challenging association boards to do a better job of providing future-focused stewardship in a world experiencing relentless transformation. To inspire association leaders to embrace strategic legitimacy, I have identified the following ten “next truths” of governing the 21st century association. By articulating these ten beliefs about the new work of governing, I’m hoping to replace some of the old baggage that still weighs down board performance.

Membership is perhaps the most sacred tenet in all of association orthodoxy. Indeed, for many organizations, the membership imperative defines the very existence of the association: membership is who they are and what they do. In a time of relentless societal transformation, however, the impact of forces beyond our control makes it necessary for us to question all of our most deep-seated beliefs, including our beliefs about membership. In this three-part series, I will share five critical reasons why the continued emphasis on membership is “killing” association business models.

Association boards, CEOs and senior executives will need to answer a wide variety of questions as they embark on the work of developing new business models to enable their organizations to thrive over the next decade and beyond. The practical challenge: Making the shift from membership-centric to value creation-centric business models. . Blog either by email or RSS. Thanks for reading!

This post originally appeared last Wednesday on the ResultsDirect AssociationCentric Blog. Remarkable…simply remarkable. find it remarkable that it is February 2013, and I am still reading magazine articles advising associations to create strategic plans every five or six years, and encouraging leaders to review those plans just once a year. Do association leaders still believe we live in that world? Really? That’s remarkable. As I wrote in Associations Unorthodox , the era of strategic planning is over. Today’s strategic landscape for associations could not be more different. Really?

2013 is the year when association leaders will need to get serious about transformation. So as the year begins in earnest, I want to share six ideas on which I will focus my attention over the next 12 months. These are high impact ideas for association leaders who are serious about taking their organizations to the next level. look forward to your questions, as well as your thoughts on how these ideas may reshape your association’s work in the year ahead. Emergent orthodoxies can be just as insidious as the deep-seated variety, and must be challenged just as vigorously.

Video not showing? Find it on YouTube. Last week, I released some preliminary results from the P.I. Making Innovation Happen Survey. This morning, I am sharing more detailed survey results in the form of the video you (should) see above. You are welcome to download this video, as well as a PDF with an overview of these key results. This may help explain the top five priorities they have identified for the next twelve months: Building board support and encouragement for innovation. Business model innovation. Capturing time to innovate. Creative thinking and imagination.

Membership is perhaps the most sacred tenet in all of association orthodoxy. Indeed, for many organizations, the membership imperative defines the very existence of the association: membership is who they are and what they do. In a time of relentless societal transformation, however, the impact of forces beyond our control makes it necessary for us to question all of our most deep-seated beliefs, including our beliefs about membership. In this three-part series, I am sharing five critical reasons why the continued emphasis on membership is “killing” association business models.
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Now that my new e-book , Associations Unorthodox: Six Really Radical Shifts Toward the Future , has been out for a couple of weeks, I have had the opportunity to step back and reflect on the reasons why I wrote it, as well as its deeper implications for association leaders. hope this post helps to explain my motivations, and places the e-book in a broader context. Associations Unorthodox is a set of approaches for breaking free of the past– The six shifts discussed in the e-book were not accidental selections. What do you think? What are you taking away from Associations Unorthodox ?
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Membership is perhaps the most sacred tenet in all of association orthodoxy. Indeed, for many organizations, the membership imperative defines the very existence of the association: membership is who they are and what they do. In a time of relentless societal transformation, however, the impact of forces beyond our control makes it necessary for us to question all of our most deep-seated beliefs, including our beliefs about membership. In this three-part series, I am sharing five critical reasons why the continued emphasis on membership is “killing” association business models.
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Jeff De Cagna’s new e-book, Associations Unorthodox: Six Really Radical Shifts Toward the Future , will be available as a free download beginning this Wednesday, August 8. The e-book was produced in collaboration with DC-based branding firm, CHIEF. Jeff De Cagna serves as a senior advisor to CHIEF. Scott Johnson, co-founder of CHIEF, said ”For 35 years, I have watched associations do the same thing over and over again and expect different results. That is why it has been such a great privilege to collaborate on this amazing e-book with our friend and partner Jeff De Cagna. Updates
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In early January, I wrote a post on six serious ideas for 2013 that included the concept of SED, which is short for serendipity, empathy and discovery. SED is a term I coined to inspire association leaders to shift their conversations about the future in a more generative direction. Here is what I wrote about SED in that post: In 2013, I want to challenge association leaders to prepare for the vast serendipity that lives all around them, experience genuine empathy and embrace new possibilities of discovery. But there are different views on what constitutes empathy and how it is achieved.
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